Where are you living?

Acts 16:23-31

23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Pray:

I would like to ask everyone listening to me this morning, what I believe to be a very important question. Maybe the most important question you have ever been asked. And its this. Where do you live?

Most of us are familiar with this story here in Acts. Paul and Silas had been arrested. They had just been beaten and whipped and then tossed into a dark damp jail and put in stocks and bond to the walls.

When Paul and Silas started singing. I can only guess, but the bible tells me that they sang loud enough that the other prisoners heard them. I like to imagine they were singing. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bare. What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.”

Or perhaps they were singing, “Oh how I love Jesus.” I don’t know. But what I do know. Is that they were singing praises to God.

Let me repeat that for those of you who missed it. They were arrested, whipped, and beaten. Then they were chained down in a dark damp jail. And how did Paul and Silas respond? They were singing.

Why? I say it is because Paul and Silas were not in that jail cell. They were somewhere else. The bible tells us in:

Ephesians 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Ephesians 2:6

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 3:10

10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

And we know from reading our text that while Paul and Silas were singing. An earthquake began to shake the entire jail. And that earthquake broke Paul and Silas out of their stocks and freed them.

But I want you to understand this. If you don’t understand anything else, I say to you this morning get this. Paul and Silas were free before the earthquake hit.

John 8:36

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

After the earthquake the soldier was preparing to kill himself. As he feared that the loss of his prisoners would cost him his life.

But Paul walked up and said to him. “Do thyself no harm. We are still here.”

Imagine how that soldier felt. His allegiance to a government that had little concern for his life became apparent to him in that moment. And in that moment Paul expresses to him the love of Christ. I like to think of it like this. Sure, to your government you are a failure and you are a nobody and you may as well kill yourself. But to Christ you are somebody.

And in that moment the soldier realized that they had something he wanted. So, he asked the following question. “Sir what must I do to be saved?”

You see the soldier knew that Paul and Silas had something real. He knew that they had something supernatural. And no, it wasn’t because of the earthquake. It was because they demonstrated the power of Christ in every way. They loved their enemies. And they chose to live in heavenly places.

Now this is a great opportunity for us to learn. The soldier’s question was clear. What must I do to be saved. So, whatever answer Paul gives to him, must be the way for us to be saved as well? So, what does Paul say?

Here is a good chance for Paul to say:

Give all your money to the church and pray to the saints every day and you will be saved. No. That’s not what it says is it?

Here is a good chance for Paul to say: Be baptized into our church and you will be saved? Does it say that? No.

Or Paul could have said.Be baptized in the name of Jesus and speak in tongues as the spirit gives utterance and you will be saved? No.

Or how about this one. Keep the law and you will be saved. No.

Paul answered. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

I know that there are people in this world who carry around so much guilt that they cannot accept that it is this simple. To them I would say there is nothing easy about believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. If it were so easy, then why did Thomas struggle with it so much?

And living in this world where everything you are told is a lie. It is all the more difficult.

So, the jailer was saved. And we know this for a fact as he invited Paul and Silas over to the house for fried potatoes, beans, and turnip greens. Eating turnip greens is a sure sign of salvation. Especially when you put that Louisiana sauce on them. Mmmm. Where was I? Sounds like I’m seated at cracker barrel.

Oh yeah. So, they were in jail. Having been beaten with their feet and hands tied down. And they were singing praises to God.

I wonder how many of us today get down in the dumps just because our boss said something mean to us. Or our spouse said something mean to us. And we walk around feeling sorry for ourselves over nothing. You know what is wrong with us? Simple. It is where we live that makes all the difference.

Some of us chose to live in prison. When Christ has set us free. A prisoner to sin. A prisoner to the worlds concerns. A prisoner to the world’s opinions.

These men had no reason, at least in the eyes of the world, to be singing. They didn’t just win the lottery. They weren’t on their honeymoon. No, they were in prison.

These men realized that they had two homes. One was right there in that prison. And the other was seated in heavenly places with Christ.

Too many Christians are waiting for heaven. Oh, when I die, they will say. I will see heaven. Why wait to die? We can have heaven right here, right now.

You have the very same choice this morning. Where do you live? Do you choose to live in this world all the time. Or do you choose to be seated in heavenly places?

And look at how these two men transported themselves from prison to heaven. Singing.

You don’t think song worship is important to God? Listen to

Psalm 33:1-3

33 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

Psalm 96

96 O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

Get out of your pity party and sing a song to the Lord. That is how we live in the heavenly.

Sing your way right out of your circumstances. Well, I’m going through a tough time. You just wouldn’t understand. Maybe not. But one thing I do know is that God is good and worthy of our praise. So, sing a new song unto the Lord.

You see this world has no power over you. Unless you give it to them.

What a fellowship what a joy divine. Leaning on the Everlasting arms. Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day.

I’m saying choose to live in heavenly places. No walls can hold me. No demon can oppress me. No evil can stop me. Man cannot imprison me. Because I am seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus.

Where do you live this morning?

Sure, we have burdens and heartaches. And it is understandable for us to struggle in difficult times. But we don’t have to stay there.

This world is not my home I'm just a-passing through My treasures are laid up Somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me From heaven's open door And I can't feel at home In this world anymore

Oh Lord, you know I have no friend like you If heaven's not my home Then Lord, what will I do?

You can choose to sit in the prison of heartache. But you don’t have too. You can choose to sit in the prison of loneliness. But you don’t have too. You can choose to sit in the prison of bad health. But you don’t have too.

You can sing your way right into heavenly places.

When you lift Jesus in song. God lifts you up to the heavenlies.

Too many Christians waiting for the second coming. And sure, that’s biblical. We are supposed to long for the coming of Christ. But we don’t have to wait for the second coming to enjoy heaven.

Rise above your heartache. Rise above your loneliness. Rise above your fear. Rise above your health. Rise above the concerns of this world. Take a vacation to heavenly places. Sing praises to the Lord and be transported.

Listen to me. Your praises aren’t near as important to God as they are to you. Singing praises to God empowers YOU. It has nothing to do with Gods ego, it has everything to do with Gods love for YOU!! When we Praise Jesus we experience joy.

1 Peter 1:7-9

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Hey, I’d love to have a piano player. But I don’t need a piano player to sing praises to MY LORD and Savior.

Hey, I’d love to have a big choir standing behind me singing out with joy. But I don’t need it. Because I can sing out with joy all by myself.

Acts 7:54

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Even while being stoned Stephen wasn’t living in this world. He saw Christ sitting on the right hand of the father. And we spend all day mopping and whining over something someone said to us or about us. Oh, poor me. When you get to thinking like that it is time to move.

I ask again you who bear his name Christian. Where are you living this morning?

Stephan preached this wonderful sermon while being filled with the Holy Ghost. And the world today would say he paid for it with his life. But I would say no. He was rewarded with the opportunity to be a martyr for Jesus Christ.

One of the saddest things to me is to see Christians in church not singing during the worship service. I get it not everyone likes the way they sound when they sing. I don’t like the way I sing either. But I do like the way it feels to be seated in heavenly places when I lift my voice and give praises to the King of Kings. Listen I love that. And you will too. Try it and see. Nobody here is judging your voice. This isn’t Americas got talent or American false idol. This is the house of God and here we love one another. You could be the worst singer on the planet. And I would want you singing every single Sunday. Why? Because singing praises to God transports you to heavenly places. And folks that’s where we need to be living.

I love to sing during my sermons. And I love those old-time hymns. I don’t care whether you like my singing or not. I’m going to keep lifting up Christ.

I’ve got the joy joy joy down in my heart.

Something as simple as a song can bring you before the throne of Grace. And by the way. That is why your music choices are important.

If you are singing something like this. “Well, my best friend left me for my wife, and he took my coon dog too.” Then you aren’t lifting up Jesus. Not sure who that lifts up. Maybe the dog?

John Bunyan was put in jail for preaching on the streets. He spent 12 years in prison. And one day his little blind daughter came to him and said daddy. I have good news. They said if you agree to stop preaching on the streets, they will let you out tomorrow. And you can come home to me and mom. And John Bunyan looked up with tears in his eyes and said. Honey if they let me out today, I’ll be preaching on the streets tomorrow.

We really are pitiful today. When we look at those who came before us. We Waller in self-pity over earthly concerns. We are so full of ourselves with our selfies and our opinions. It is sad to see the state of Christianity today. Seated in heavenly places yet choosing to live in the sewer. Choosing to live like the world. Choosing to care only about ourselves.

Where are our tears for those around us who do not know Christ. Where has our brokenness gone? How do enjoy so great a salvation and choose not to live in heavenly places. How do we enjoy knowing Christ and not be willing to share his love?

Isn’t that what Paul and Silas did? They lived in heavenly places. And when God opened the door to that jail they witnessed to the jailer. They could be witnesses because they were living with Christ.

We don’t have to wait for heaven. I wish people would get this. Get into the book and get busy praising Christ. And you can have heaven here and now.

1. There is a place of quiet rest, Near to the heart of God; A place where sin cannot molest, Near to the heart of God.

o Refrain: O Jesus, blest Redeemer, Sent from the heart of God; Hold us, who wait before Thee, Near to the heart of God.

2. There is a place of comfort sweet, Near to the heart of God; A place where we our Savior meet, Near to the heart of God.

3. There is a place of full release, Near to the heart of God; A place where all is joy and peace, Near to the heart of God.

Rise above the concerns of this old world. Rise above this life. And be seated before the throne of Grace.

Hebrews 4:16

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

How do we come? Boldly. Singing. Lost in the love of Christ.

Where are you living this morning?

God is as close to you as you allow him to be.

You don’t have to live a carnal life. You don’t have to live a defeated life. You don’t have to life in self-pity. You can rise to the heavenlies. Your name is written in the lambs book of life.

If you are miserable you have nobody to blame but yourself.

We have the word of God. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit. We have the fellowship of the local church.

We can build our own prison or we can live in the heavenlies.

Paul and Silas were not in prison they were in the heavenlies. John wasn’t imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos he was in the heavenlies.

Stop being wrapped up in the things of this world.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in his wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace

We spend too much time on the concerns of this world. At the end of the day all of this world will be consumed by fire. Why not live somewhere more permanent?

John 18:36

36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Where are you living this morning?